25 U.S. Code § 640d–11 - Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation

There is hereby established as an independent entity in the executive branch the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation which shall be under the direction of the Commissioner on Navajo and Hopi Relocation (hereinafter in this subchapter referred to as the “Commissioner”).

(b) Appointment; term of office; compensation

(1)The Commissioner shall be appointed by the President.

(2)The term of office of the Commissioner shall be 2 years. An individual may be appointed Commissioner for more than one term. The Commissioner serving at the end of a term shall continue to serve until his or her successor has been confirmed in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(3)The Commissioner shall be a full-time employee of the United States, and shall be compensated at the rate of basic pay payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule.

(c) Transfer of powers, duties, and funds to Commissioner

(1)

(A)Except as otherwise provided by the Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation Amendments of 1988, the Commissioner shall have all the powers and be responsible for all the duties that the Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation Commission had before November 16, 1988.

(B)All funds appropriated to the Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation Commission before the date on which the first Commissioner on Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation is confirmed by the Senate that have not been expended on such date shall become available to the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation on such date and shall remain available without fiscal year limitation.

(2)There are hereby transferred to the Commissioner, on January 31, 1989—

(A)all powers and duties of the Bureau of Indian Affairs derived from Public Law 99–190 (99 Stat. at 1236) that relate to the relocation of members of the Navajo Tribe from lands partitioned to the Hopi Tribe, and

(B)all funds appropriated for activities relating to such relocation pursuant to Public Law 99–190 (99 Stat. at 1236): Provided, That such funds shall be used by the Commissioner for the purpose for which such funds were appropriated to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. (B) [1] : Provided further, That for administrative purposes such funds shall be maintained in a separate account.

(d) Powers of Commissioner

(1)Subject to such rules and regulations as may be adopted by the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation, the Commissioner shall have the power to—

(A)appoint and fix the compensation of such staff and personnel as the Commissioner deems necessary in accordance with the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service, but at rates not in excess of a position classified above a GS–15 of the General Schedule under section 5108 of such title; and

(B)procure temporary and intermittent services to the same extent as is authorized by section
3109 of title
5, but at rates not to exceed $200 a day for individuals.

(2)The authority of the Commissioner to enter into contracts for the provision of legal services for the Commissioner or for the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation shall be subject to the availability of funds provided for such purpose by appropriations Acts.

(3)There are authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year $100,000 to fund contracts described in paragraph (2).

(1)The Commissioner is authorized to provide for the administrative, fiscal, and housekeeping services of the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation and is authorized to call upon any department or agency of the United States to assist him in implementing the relocation plan, except that the control over and responsibility for completing relocation shall remain in the Commissioner. In any case in which the Office calls upon any such department or agency for assistance under this section, such department or agency shall provide reasonable assistance so requested.

(2)On failure of any agency to provide reasonable assistance as required under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Commissioner shall report such failure to the Congress.

(f) Termination

The Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation shall cease to exist when the President determines that its functions have been fully discharged.

[1] So in original. The period followed by the designation “(B)” probably should not appear.

Level IV of the Executive Schedule, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), is set out in section
5315 of Title
5, Government Organization and Employees.

The Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation Amendments of 1988, referred to in subsec. (c)(1)(A), is Pub. L. 100–666, Nov. 16, 1988, 102 Stat. 3929, which enacted sections
640d–29 and
640d–30 of this title, amended sections
640d–7,
640d–9 to
640d–14,
640d–22,
640d–24,
640d–25, and
640d–28 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as a note under sections
640d and
640d–11 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1988 Amendment note set out under section
640d of this title and Tables.

2012—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 112–166struck out “by and with the advice and consent of the Senate” before period at end.

1991—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 102–180, § 3(a), inserted at end “The Commissioner serving at the end of a term shall continue to serve until his or her successor has been confirmed in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection.”

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 102–180, § 3(b), amended par. (3) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (3) read as follows: “The Commissioner shall be a full time employee of the United States and shall be paid at the rate of GS–18 of the General Schedule under section
5332 of title
5.”

“(A) appoint and fix the compensation of such staff and personnel as he deems necessary, without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service, and without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, but at rates not in excess of the maximum rate for GS–18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of such title; and

“(B) procure temporary and intermittent services to the same extent as is authorized by section
3109 of title
5, but at rates not to exceed $200 a day for individuals.”

1988—Pub. L. 100–666amended section generally, substituting subsecs. (a) to (f) relating to the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation, for former subsecs. (a) to (j) which related to the Navajo and Hopi Relocation Commission.

Amendment by Pub. L. 112–166effective 60 days after Aug. 10, 2012, and applicable to appointments made on and after that effective date, including any nomination pending in the Senate on that date, see section 6(a) ofPub. L. 112–166, set out as a note under section
113 of Title
6, Domestic Security.

Separation or Reduction in Grade or Compensation of Employee

Pub. L. 102–180, § 3(d),Dec. 2, 1991, 105 Stat. 1230, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section and section
5315 of Title
5, Government Organization and Employees] shall not cause any employee of the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation to be separated or reduced in grade or compensation for 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 2, 1991].”

Positions in Senior Executive Service

Pub. L. 102–180, § 3(e),Dec. 2, 1991, 105 Stat. 1230, provided that: “The position of Executive Director of the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation and Deputy Executive Director of such Office shall on and after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 2, 1991], be in the Senior Executive Service.”

Employees of Office as Government Employees

Pub. L. 102–180, § 3(f),Dec. 2, 1991, 105 Stat. 1231, provided that: “Any employee of the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation on the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 2, 1991], shall be considered an employee as defined in section
2105 of title
5, United States Code.”

Continuation of Relocation Commission and Retention of Existing Commissioners Pending Confirmation of Commissioner; Transfer of Existing Personnel; Change of Name

“(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law or any amendment made by this Act [see Short Title of 1988 Amendment note under section
640d of this title]—

“(A) the Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation Commission shall—

“(i) continue to exist until the date on which the first Commissioner is confirmed by the Senate,

“(ii) have the same structure, powers and responsibilities such Commission had before the enactment of this Act [Nov. 16, 1988], and

“(iii) assume responsibility for the powers and duties transferred to such Commissioner under section 12(c)(2) ofPublic Law 93–531 [25 U.S.C. 640d–11(c)(2)], as amended by this Act, until the Commissioner is confirmed,

“(B) the existing Commissioners shall serve until the new Commissioner is confirmed by the Senate, and

“(C) the existing personnel of the Commission shall be transferred to the new Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation.

“(2) The Navajo and Hopi Relocation Commission shall become known as the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation on the date on which the first Commissioner is confirmed by the Senate.”